WHAT THEY ARE SAYING…
Florida Students Soar, Score on Advanced Placement Exams.

Governor Rick Scott: “Florida teachers continue to pave the way for the Sunshine State’s successes in education. With Florida high school students ranking fourth in the nation for success on AP exams, our teachers are truly demonstrating a high performance that competes and succeeds on the national scale. As students receive a higher quality of education, they become better prepared for college and the workforce, which is great news for Florida families. We’ll continue taking the steps necessary to ensure every teacher gets the support they need to provide Florida’s future generations with the best education possible.”

STATEWIDE EDUCATION LEADERS

Florida State Board of Education Chairman Gary Chartrand: “For the fourth year in a row, Florida students have outshone their counterparts nationwide in their dedication to pursuing advanced placement courses. With more than half of our state’s students taking AP courses during high school, significantly higher than the national average, we can be sure that they will be ready for a competitive college environment.”

Commissioner of Education Dr. Tony Bennett: “The report shows that years of hard work on the part of Florida’s teachers are producing results. Florida’s students are clearly graduating high school better prepared for college, careers and life. We must continue to raise the bar and push student achievement to new heights. This is very encouraging news and I congratulate our educators and students on their remarkable success.”

State University System Chancellor Frank T. Brogan: “As our universities work to attract the most talented high school students, we are happy that students are taking steps to become even more college-ready. More students earning higher scores on the AP test raises the bar for the entire State University System.”

Division of Florida Colleges Chancellor Randy Hanna: “The findings from the latest AP Report to the Nation demonstrate Florida’s commitment to improve college and career readiness for students. The Florida College System stands ready to serve all students who enter our doors, and the increases in Florida student participation and performance on these exams highlights the excellent work being done to prepare students for college.”

Florida State Board of Education Member Sally Bradshaw: “Today’s report confirms what we already know about Florida students – they are the best and brightest in the nation. I commend our state’s dedicated teachers for encouraging students to challenge themselves with a more rigorous curriculum.”

Florida State Board of Education Member Barbara Feingold: “Florida’s student participation in advanced placement courses has increased during the past decade, and will continue to increase as we focus on preparing students for college and successful careers. The demands that are being put in place for increased rigor will push our students to perform on higher levels. This report is another affirmation that our state is moving in the right direction for students.”

Florida State Board of Education Member John Padget: “Jumping to fourth place in the nation in passing AP exams is huge for Florida’s students. And, staying in first place with the highest participation rate shows that more of our students are taking and succeeding in high level course work and college preparation.”

Florida State Board of Education Member Dr. Ada Armas: “Not only do Florida students take more AP courses on average than their peers, our students also score remarkably high on these exams, preparing them for a successful transition to challenging college courses. “

Florida State Board of Education Member Kathleen Shanahan: “Congratulations yet again to the success of every Florida AP student. Their hard work is paying off in their college readiness results. Thanks as well to all the adults in the system who make this success happen—district leaders, school administrators, teachers, and parents have all played an important role in this accomplishment.”

HIGHER EDUCATION – FLORIDA COLLEGES AND STATE UNIVERSITIES

Florida International University President for Enrollment Services Luisa M. Havens, Ph.D.: “A score of 3 or higher is a valid indictor of college readiness and a stable predictor of student retention through college graduation. As such, an increase in the number of students scoring 3 or higher in the AP test is nothing but good news to FIU and any other state university vying for the best and brightest graduates in Florida.”

University of Central Florida Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Assistance and Student Outreach Programs Gordon Chavis: “UCF is always delighted and encouraged to see students taking more challenging academic courses and performing better on tests offered during high school, as evidenced by the recent increase in the number of Florida residents scoring a 3 or higher on AP exams. The better prepared our students are as they transition to college, the better they will perform and the sooner they will graduate.”

Miami Dade College Vice Provost Dr. Pamela Menke: “The Florida College System is proud to serve as the primary access point to higher education for Floridians, and the findings from the latest AP Report to the Nation are promising. Having students enter our system with some college credit can go a long way to promote college readiness and success.”

Florida State University Dean of Undergraduate Studies Karen Laughlin: “Florida State University works closely with the College Board in developing and updating AP courses and tests, because of the importance the university places on entering freshmen not only being capable of tackling college-level work but of excelling in their courses.”

AP DISTRICT OF THE YEAR SUPERINTENDENTS

Broward County School District Superintendent Robert Runcie: “AP courses provide a great opportunity for students to be college and career ready. It’s refreshing to see this data verify that teachers and administrators are working to give students every opportunity to excel in the classroom and beyond.”

Dixie County School District Superintendent Mark Rains: “Advanced Placement courses and exams are part of the most arduous curriculum offered to high-school students. For students living in rural communities, these courses allow students to gauge how they will fare at competitive higher education institutions.”

Escambia County School District Superintendent Malcolm Thomas: “Our classrooms are the one place in our nation where equality should be unmatched. The fact that Florida is offering AP exams to more students on average than anywhere in the nation shows that our leadership, from the top down, supports the idea that all students can succeed when given the opportunity.”

Hillsborough County School District Superintendent MaryEllen Elia: “Hillsborough County Public Schools believe in providing educational access and opportunity to all students, and what we are finding is that more and more students from low-income families are taking and passing AP exams. We are proving that parents’ income and educational level do not determine a student’s potential.”

Lake County School District Superintendent Dr. Susan Moxley: “It is no surprise Florida is leading the nation in the number of students taking AP exams. Florida is, and has always been, a leader in many aspects surrounding education. These results prove Florida schools are headed in the right direction.”

Levy County School District Superintendent Robert Hastings: “As a school administrator, students’ academic achievements are my top priority. It’s rewarding to see this data support the fact that many Florida students are prepared to excel in college right out of high school.”

Miami-Dade County School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho: “Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) led the country in Advanced Placement exam scores among Hispanic and Black students in 2011. In 2012, for the second year in a row, Miami-Dade students excelled in their AP performance. M-DCPS has been named by the College Board as AP District of the Year for increasing access to AP coursework and increasing the percentage of students scoring 3 or higher on AP exams. These results demonstrate that our students continue to respond positively to a rigorous curriculum and that our teachers are committed and dedicated to ensuring the success of all students.”

Orange County School District Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins: “Advanced Placement courses prepare students for the challenge of rigorous college-level coursework, ensuring that they can be successful in higher education. OCPS has worked diligently and will continue to expand AP access and increase success for all students. The school board and I are extremely proud of this accomplishment by our students, teachers, school leaders and central staff.”

Pinellas County School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Grego: “This jump in AP scores is just proof that students will always meet or exceed our expectations. It reaffirms the fact that we have high-quality teachers and administrators making a true difference in the lives of Florida students.”

Polk County School District Superintendent Dr. John Stewart: “I am proud that our state has been recognized for increasing the number of students taking AP exams, especially minority and under-served students. In Polk County, we see first-hand how challenging and engaging courses promote greater learning gains.”

St. Johns County School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Joyner: “Offering college-level tests to high-school students helps school districts measure how well they are preparing students for their futures. The report confirms that the rigorous standards being taught in Florida schools are helping to ensure the success of students beyond high school.”

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About the Florida Department of Education: The department’s mission is to increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient education system by providing them the chance to expand their knowledge and skills through world-class learning opportunities. Serving more than 3.5 million students, 4,200 public schools, 28 colleges, 188,000 teachers, 47,000 college professors and administrators, and 318,000 individuals who work in education throughout the state, the department enhances the economic self-sufficiency of Floridians through programs and services geared toward college, workforce education, job-specific skills, and career development. Florida ranks first in the nation for teacher quality, first in the nation in advanced placement participation, and first in the southern region for graduation rate and degrees awarded by the Florida College System. For more information, visit www.fldoe.org.